Train-pipe coupling.



No. 693,!25. Patented rebfu, 1902. v J. E. FORSYTH. I

TRAIN PIPE COUPLING.

(Application filed Nov. 12, 1900.) .(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet I.

I I a v 17% L aise azia ra yi, r fin No. 693,125. Patented Feb. II, 1902.

J. E. FOBSYTH.

TRAIN PIPE COUPLING.

(Application filed Nov. 12, 1900.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Patented 'Feb. ll, I902.

J. E I- 'ORSYTH. TRAIN PIPECOUPLING.

(Application filed Nov. 12, 1900.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No'ModeL) UNITED ST TES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH E. FORSYTH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO THOMAS L. PARKER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TRAIN-PIPE COUPLING.

srEcIF'IcATroN formingpart of Letters Patent No. 693,125, dated February 11, 1902.

' Application filed November 12, 1900. Serial No. 36,291. (No model- To cvZZ whom it flung concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH E. FORSYTH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ohicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Train-Pipe Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates particularly to' automatic train -pipe couplings for passengertrains, though not limited to use on such trains. V My primary object is to provide an exceedingly simple construction of this nature well adapted for use in effecting the simultaneous coupling of the air-brake, signal, and steam pipes when two cars or an engine and car are coupled together. In the construction shown no automatic valve is employed; but it is intended that any suitable means shall be employed for operating the valve without the necessity of going between the cars.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate my invention in its preferred form, Figure 1 represents portions of two cars and their couplings and shows the train-pipes equipped wit-h the improved train-pipe coupling; Fig. 2, a plan view of the train-pipes, certain parts being removed; Fig. 3, a sec tional view illustrating the manner in which each train-pipe coupling member is supported; Fig. 4, a longitudinal vertical section through two companion coupling members; Fig. 5, a view in side elevation of a coupling member, and Fig. 6 a view in end elevation of the same.

A A represent portions of the substructure of two cars; B B, suitable draw-bars connecting the cars; 0 O, companion train-pipe coupling members; D D, signal-pipes of the two cars; E E, air-brake pipes of the two cars; F F, hose or other suitable connections for the steam-pipes of the two cars, only one of which (designated F is shown.

The train-pipes of each car are supported from the bottom of the car by hangers a at some distance from the end of the car and have suitable connections at their extremities with theintegrally-formed coupling-head provided therefor. As clearly appears from Figs. 4: and 5, each coupling-head has a central perforated brake-pipe head I), curved forwardly-projecting inclined guide arms or horns b I) supported from said head I), a signal-pipe head 0 directly above the head I), and

a steam-pipe head d directly below the head 5. Each of the heads I) and c is provided at its front or outer face with an annular recess receiving a rubber gasket 6. The gasket e is provided with an annular flange 6, by means of which the gasket is retained, and in the rear of the gasket is an annular recess 6 which permits the air-pressure to get behind the gasket and force the latter forward. Each head dis provided with annular recesses fff the latter receiving an annular diaphragm f secured in place by an annular threaded ring f The diaphragm f receives at its central perforation a ring f having a flangef. A ring f is rigidly fixed to the projecting portion of the ring f and the inner margin of the annular diaphragmis firmly secured between the ringf and the flange f. The flange f receives an annular packing-ring f which is preferably of comparatively hard material of suitable composition which swells after the steam is admitted. The ring f is capable of backward or forward movement in the annular recess f, thereby permitting the packing-ring f to yield under pressure. Steam may enter the recess f in the rear of the diaphragm and help .to effect a perfect joint. an annular 'hose connection g, and at the rear of the head I) is a pipe-attaching annular boss 71.. The rear of the head 0 is internally threaded to receive the pipe which connects therewith.

To permit longitudinal movement of the train-pipe coupling-heads, I prefer to provide the pipes D D with a bend or loop hand to insert a spring It at the neck of said loop, suitable spring-retainers 10 being provided for receiving said spring; also, to provide the pipes E E with loops Z, the necks whereof are provided with spring-retainers l, which receive springs (not shown) similarv to the springs The preferred manner of supporting the coupling-heads is illustrated in Fig. 3,wherein is shown a clip or bar m, secured to the under surface of the draw-bar head, and a collar m, which receives the boss h of a coup At the rear of the head dis 7 ICO ling member and is supported by inclined coil-springs m attached to lugs m on said collar and to the extremities of the bar 9%.

For emergency the train-pipes are provided with branch pipes "n n, having the usual hand-couplings for connection with cars not equipped with the improved coupling device. Three-Waycocks n are provided for the trainpipes, and by means of these cocks both passages from either end of each train-pipe may be closed or the train-pipes may be connected through the improved coupling-heads or through the old form of hand'coupling, as desired.

The head I) has diagonally opposite curved surfaces 19, and the arms or horns b b are provided at their bases with inner concave surfaces p, which serve to receive the convex surfaces 19 of the vcompanion coupling member. The convex surfaces 19 end at abrupt shoulders p flanking the bases of the prongs 1) b said shoulders affording between them recesses for receiving the bases of the horns of the companion coupling member. The space between each set of shoulders 19 corresponds withthe width of the horn at its base, so that when two coupling members are brought together there is such an interlocking of parts as to prevent any relative rotary movement between coupling members. In addition the concavities at the bases of the horns of each coupling member fit snugly over the convexities of the companion member, thereby preventing any movement except a direct end-to-end movement of separation.

It will be understood that the couplingheads are so disposed that the horns of each coupling-head have the same position with relation to the end of the car \vher'eat they are located-that is, if the born I) of a coupling member at one end of a car viewed bya person standing in front of the car projects upwardly and to the right the corresponding horn of the coupling member at the other end of the car will have the same relative position when viewed from a corresponding position at the oppositeend of the car. When any two ends of any two cars come together, therefore, the horns of companioncoupling members are properly located to guide the members together and cause them to interlock. The gaskets project far enough beyond the fiat surrounding faces of the pipe-heads to cause companion gaskets to be firmly pressed together when the cars are coupled, the coupling-heads being somewhat retracted at such time against the action of their springs. It will be understood that the loops in the metallic pipes cause the pipes to act as springs, permitting retraction of the coupling members, and in the restoring movement the coil-springs at the necks of the loops act with the resilience of the pipes to force the coupling members outwardly.

By employing coupling-heads of the kind described, each equipped with two diagonally opposite horns located and spaced as herein described, the coupling-heads may be consid erably out of alinement as the cars approach each other andistill be properly guided together. This is of particular advantage in efiecting a coupling where the cars are at a sharp curve of the track. After the coup ling-heads have been properly guided to gether and have become firmly interlocked practically all yielding takes place in the pipes and their supports. After a coupling has been effected the valves a may be turned to place the train-pipes in communication through the coupling-heads. Priortouneouplingthe cars the valves 77. are turned to produce dead ends for their respective pipes. If desired, the train-pipes may be connected through the branch pipes at n',which are equipped with the usual hand -couplings." The valve a may then be turned to admit. pressure through said branch pipes, the valves at this time serving to close the passages through the couplingheads of the automatic device. It may be further remarked that one of the shoulders 9' flanking each horn-base lies in substantially a vertical plane, and since the spaces between the horn bases correspond to the widths of the horn-bases the remaining shoulder of each horn-base lies in substantially a horizontal plane. Otherwise stated,one of the junctions of each horn-base with the convex surfacesp lies in a vertical and the other in a horizontal plane. Thus each space is symmetrical with relation to a horn-base.

The loops is and Zare preferably separately formed and of tempered steel, being inserted in the course of the train-pipes in the manner shown.

The construction described is for the purpose intended one of great simplicity, and in operation the coupling members have a direct end-to-end pressure when the companion gaskets come into contact with each other, thereby avoiding danger of the gaskets becoming dislodged or injured. All of the gaskets lie in a transverse plane and are supplied with fluid-pressure for increasing the effieiency of the joint.

Changes in minor details of construction within the spirit of my invention may be made by those skilled in the art. Hence no limitation is intended by the foregoing detailed description, except as shall appear from the appended claims.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a train-pipe coupling, an integrallyformed movable coupling-head having steam and air passages whose orifices lie in the same vertical plane, a soft yielding air-expanded gasket at the air-passage orifice, and having a transverse outer bearing-surface, and a yielding steam-actuated diaphragm at the steam-passage orifice, equipped with a comparatively hard packing-ring havinga transverse. outer bearing-surface, said gaskets being adapted to form a tight joint with corre- ICC IIO

sponding gaskets of a companion couplinghead under longitudinal pressure between coupling-heads, substantially as described.

2. In a train-pipe coupling, the combination of a yieldingly-held coupling-head, comprising a central perforated pipe-head, forwardly-projecting inclined guide-arms supported therefrom, and two additional-pipeheads, one supported above and the other below said first-named pipe-head, soft yielding gaskets for said central head and one of the other heads, annular air-passages e being pro vided in the rear of said gaskets, a relatively hard gasket for the remaining pipe-head, and a fluid-held diaphragm supporting said lastnamed gasket, substantially as described.

3. In a train-pipe coupling, a coupling-head having annular recesses, an annular diaphragm secured at a shoulder of one of said recesses, an annular ring secured to the inner margin of said annular diaphragm, and a packing-ring fitting upon said ring and projecting from the outer surface of said diaphragm, substantially as described.

4. In a train-pipe coupling, a coupling member having a perforated pipe-head, an annular recess at the outer face of said pipe-head, an annular diaphragm f a retaining-ringffl and a forwardly-projecting packing-ring of relatively hard material carried by said diaphragm near its inner margin, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a train-pipe coupling, a coupling mem ber having a perforated pipe-head, an annular recess at the outer face of said pipe-head, an annular diaphragm f a retaining-ringf rings f ,f forming a binding for the inner margin of said diaphragm, and a packingringf secured to the ring f substantially as described.

6. In a train-pipe coupling,the combination of an integrally-formed coupling member provided with pipe-heads b, c and d, diagonally V opposite horns b, b having at their bases shoulders 10 separated by convex surfaces 19, and having, also, at their bases inner concave surfaces 19, one junction between each hornbase and convex surface 10 lying in substantially the same vertical plane and suitable gaskets for said pipe-heads, substantially as described.

7. In a train-pipe coupling, the combination of a coupling member, a central pipe-head I) provided with an air-actuated gasket e, a pi pehead 0 vertically above and supported from a head I) and provided with an air-actuated gasket 6, a pipe-head d vertically below the head I) and provided with a diaphragm-actuated packing-ring f and diagonally opposite guide-arms b, 19 provided with interlocking surfaces for engaging a duplicate coupling member and preventing relative movement between the coupling members, except in the direction of longitudinal separation, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. In a train-pipe coupling, the combination of a coupling-head, a metallic train-pipe joined thereto and formed with a loop imparting elasticity to the train-pipe and permitting longitudinal movement of said head, and a spring interposed at said loop and reinforcing the resilience of the pipe,- substan= tially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. In a train-pipe coupling, the combination of a coupling-head, a train-pipe connected therewith and formed with a loopimparting elasticity to the pipe and permitting longitudinal movement of said head, spring-retainers connected with said pipe at the neck of said loop, and a spring interposed between said retainers, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

10. In a train-pipe coupling, a movable coupling-head having steam and air passages whose orifices are in the same vertical plane, a soft yielding air-expanded gasket at the air-passage orifice having a transverse outer bearing-surface, a steam-actuated diaphragm at the steam-passage orifice equipped with a comparatively hard packing-ring having a transverse outer bearing-surface, said gaskets being adapted to form a tight joint with corresponding gaskets of a companion coupling-head under longitudinal pressure between coupling-heads, substantially as described.

11. In a train-pipe coupling, a couplinghead having annular recesses, an annular diaphragm secured at the shoulder of one of said recesses, and a packing-ring secured to the outer face of saiddiaphragm near the in ner margin thereof, substantially as described.

D. W. LEE, ALBERT D. 13mm. 

